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Reddit joins Internet lobbying group

The Internet Association was founded last year and lobbies on issues affecting Web companies, such as surveillance laws, privacy regulation, immigration, cybersecurity and anti-piracy efforts. Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Amazon and eBay are already members.

“We’re really excited to be joining the Internet Association,” Erik Martin, Reddit's general manager, said in a statement.

“In spite of Reddit being an incredibly effective way to lower workplace productivity, we've also seen how online communities can have a transformative economic impact," he said. "It's critically important to help leaders and policy makers at all levels understand the powerful and sometimes chaotic Internet economy, and to ensure that it remains protected to be able to operate freely.”

Michael Beckerman, the president and CEO of the Internet Association, said he is "ecstatic" to have Reddit join his group.

“User empowerment is an integral component of what we do and what we stand for. The Reddit community is unique and powerful with an important policy voice," he said. "Shortsighted government regulations harm the innovative progress that the user community propels. We welcome innovators like Reddit to join our cause as we educate policymakers about the critical value of a free and innovative Internet on our future.”

Reddit was founded in 2005 by Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian and is now a subsidiary of AdvancePublications, which also owns Conde Nast. Users submit content, and then other users vote either up or down to determine how prominently the post is displayed.

The site has become a popular destination for celebrities and politicians to answer questions and promote themselves. President Obama's "ask me anything" session last year was one of the most popular discussion threads of all time on the site.